Almosts

I usually never post images that I wouldn't run in the paper but taking after my friend Trent Nelson I decided I'd show a few of my "what ifs". The reason for doing this is too help illustrate my struggles of shooting a one body 2.74 MP camera during a basketball game. You see when shooting 2- 8+MP cameras you have a combination of lens selection and MP cropping power. In my case I have to pick and choose when I slap a 300 2.8 on. The images you see here are all with an 80-200 whereas in the past I would have had the 300 to my eye. On top of that with no real cropping power let alone with an ISO boost these images simply fall apart when cropping which of course wouldn't have happened at all had I had the correct lens on at the time. You see I'm considering purchasing another D1H to fix the two body problem. The question is am I simply putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound?

Trailhead

Kirklyn Smith honored his old Scout Master by naming the trail he started as a boy scout after him. I liked the image in B&W, the color one has a really nasty orange stake in it.

JC Ballin'

These guys are pretty good, a bit lazy at first but they finally really stepped into rhythm. I could be off but most of these guys could be playing at Division 1AA schools with their skills. As I was shooting the team there was only one white guy and he was riding some serious pine. Got me thinking what it would be like to follow an all black basketball team in a predominately white/hispanic state. Self segregation? An overabundance of camaraderie? I wonder if they're treated like superstars here in Idaho whereas say Georgia they'd be just another basketball player?

Refs EVERYWHERE!

The dance team apparently decided to dress like the refs for the day so I couldn't help seeing stripes everywhere. Maybe next time I'll do a group photo with all of us.

A whole new basketball world

I quickly realized how much I miss a two body system. I quickly got bored just shooting with the 80-200 once I had what I needed. I was inspired by the one and only Scott Strazzante with the top shot. As for the game itself I had a great time and was impressed by the level of competition at the NJCAA level. The bottom image was an example of the trade-offs of having kids as a sports fan. I can see the conversation now, "Sure honey you can go to the game, just don't forget to feed the baby!"

Tear Down this Wall!

This gentleman took a sledgehammer to the Berlin wall back in 1989. His ex got the piece piece of history in the divorce. Nice guy, great story, but no visual aids for the shoot other than a printer sheet of a photo he was able to get. We do what we can.

Sunset

I finally decided to try a quick and dirty panoramic shot with my P&S Nikon. Used the nifty software that came with the camera too. Turns out it's super simple and fun to boot. Plus, by putting 3 full res images together I can print these puppies HUGE! I can't wait to try another one more seriously. Watch out!

Diving Volleyball

Yeah, so still no portfolio VB shot. I decided I'd get one dive photo no matter what at this game.

Halloween!!!!

I was apparently the Halloween guy this year. Actually I've been the Halloween guy since 2005. This was however the first year I didn't shoot a creepy cemetery illo just tons of haunts (4). This is my favorite image I shot on Oct. 31st though. I was only about 2 feet from this little girl as I snapped away and she simply didn't care. Love it when that happens.

Cheerleader

The college of Southern Idaho has 10 male and 10 female cheerleaders currently. The guys do all this really cool tumbling while the girls just kinda stand there. It's a really weird situation they have over there whereas I'm so used to almost no guys and girls tumbling this way and that as I almost get kicked.

Haunted?

Got to cover a possible haunting at an old school (now a museum) near Twin Falls. Shooting was tough but it was a fun assignment. I mean who else gets to go to haunted building legally and get paid?

H1N1

I'm sure many of us are shooting this story this year. Here's what I got. Hindsight tells me I should have worked the moments a little more after I saw what Djamilia Grossman captured with her work. Be sure to check out her blog. (on my blog roll)

Albion Grounds

Wow, this little adventure scared the hell out of me. I didn't even know this woman was real until I started shooting her. Now I've shot haunted mazes/buildings before but I've always gotten there early and eased my way into the old pagan culture of demons and ghosts. Usually it's cracking jokes with the werewolf before the show starts while sitting at one location and working the living daylights out of it. This time around I went with the reporter (and her husband) and while she wanted to go through as a participate I tried to capture as much of the atmosphere as I could while I was screaming, crawling and even getting tagged in the groin by a ghoul. As they say, a new twist on an old story.